2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Requested by Nkechinyer)
The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season was an active season that took place between June 1-November 30, 2016. The season featured 22 total depressions, 18 named storms, 12 hurricanes, and seven major hurricanes including 3 storms that easily surpassed C5 status, causing much destruction across the Atlantic. During the course of the season, many of the storms made landfalls in unusual places, including Cape Verde; Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nova Scotia, and Morocco. An example of this that Hurricane Grace made landfall in South Africa as a Category 4 hurricane. Due to these occurrences, the 2016 season was quite unusual and different than a normal season. Season Summary The season started out mainly inactive and weak, with only four storms forming in the month of June, and only storm (Ashlyn) that reached hurricane status. The season started with Hurricane Ashlyn and ended with Tropical Storm Quinn. Ashlyn was the first named storm, as well as, the first hurricane of the season. The storm formed near Turks and Caicos and eventually made landfall in both Florida and Georgia, causing severe damage. Tropical Storm Bryan was a severe tropical storm that formed and dissipated in the Gulf. The storm peaked near hurricane intensity, but disorganized structure and wind shear led to its dissipation near Florida. Pre-Season Forecasts In late November 2015, the NHC released their predictions for the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season. A Modoki El Nino caused an inactive beginning, but, in late August 2016, the season became active and more destructive with more storms and many of them becoming stronger in intensity. The NHC forecasted a total of 25 depressions, 22 named storms, and 16 hurricanes including 8 major hurricanes. In reality, the season resulted in 22 total depressions, 18 named storms, and 12 hurricanes including 7 hurricanes. Storms Hurricane Ashlyn On June 2, Tropical Depression One had formed out of a tropical wave stalled Northeast of Turks and Caicos. The system underwent rapid intensification due to warm water temperatures of 90º Fahrenheit, an unusual occurrence that happened rather early in the season. Continuing WNW, on June 5, the slowly-moving storm became Tropical Storm Ashlyn, and, later that day, Category 1 Hurricane Ashlyn, becoming the first named storm of the season. Low relative wind shear and warm water temperatures allowed for stronger intensification to take place, even though Ashlyn was located only 12 miles North of Turks and Caicos. Ashlyn reached a top speed of 85 MPH and then made landfall in St. Marys, GA later on that day. Land interaction continued to weaken Ashlyn as the system persisted Northeast across the U.S. Atlantic Coast as remnant low, producing 60 MPH winds and heavy rains, causing flash flooding in most areas, as well causing widespread blackouts in the Carolinas. By June 15, Ashlyn's remnants were still active in West Virginia, having started to shift NNW; towards the Great Lakes. The next day, Ashlyn's remnants hit Cleveland, Ohio as a 40 MPH storm, causing moderate damage along the Lake Erie Coast. Ashlyn dissipated completely over Erie, PA on June 17. In total, the storm caused over $645 million in damages and resulted in 38 fatalities. Tropical Storm Bryan The NHC began monitoring a tropical disturbance located NE of the Yucatán Peninsula on June 14. Within hours, the system reached 35 MPH, thus resulting in the formation of Tropical Depression 2. The system continued to strengthen into the next day, reaching wind speeds of 65 MPH, earning the name Bryan, but, the system lacked organization and closed circulation, causing it to weaken back to a depression by the end of the day. The storm remained a depression until June 17, when wind shear tore the slow-moving storm apart before it could make landfall in Tampa, Florida. Bryan caused no damages and resulted in no fatalities because the storm never touched land. Ironically, Bryan dissipated only hours before Ashlyn dissipated on the same day; June 17, 2016. Tropical Storm Caitlyn On June 18, a westward-moving tropical wave merged with a low-pressure system which resulted in the formation of Tropical Depression 3 in the Central Atlantic. The storm continued to move NW towards the Virgin Islands, where the NHC issued a Tropical Storm Watch as TD 3 approached. The next day, Three intensified to Tropical Storm when a recon flight reported that 45 MPH winds were present in the storm's core. Later that day, Caitlyn later peaked at 50 MPH as the system's organization continued to improve. Early June 20, Caitlyn weakened back to 45 MPH. The NHC the issued Tropical Storm Warnings for the Virgin Islands as Caitlyn made landfall there that same day, causing minor damage and resulting in only one fatality. Later that day, Caitlyn degenerated back to a depression that made landfall in Puerto Rico, causing slight damage. Caitlyn further degenerated to a remnant low on June 21, dissipating over Puerto Rico that same day. Damages from Caitlyn were mainly minor, and the storm resulted in only one death. Hurricane Derek On June 29, a tropical wave the NHC had been monitoring for several days near the Lesser Antilles strengthened to 35 MPH, making the system becomes Tropical Depression Four. Within hours, convection picked up within the storm's core as organization continued to improve and the wind speed increased to 50 MPH, making the storm Tropical Storm Derek. Continuing on a WNW path, later that day the storm moved through the Lesser Antilles, causing moderate damage, and then emerged over the Caribbean. Low wind shear, couple with other favorable conditions including water temperatures near 90º Fahrenheit, caused TS Derek to reach hurricane status. A recon flight found 90 MPH winds within the storm's inner eye-wall, as well as a pressure of 987 mbar. Over the next several days, the storm changed little in intensity, until a wind shift sent the storm to make landfall in Santiago de Cuba as a powerful C1 hurricane. The storm caused severe destruction, including considerable damage to wooden buildings and trailers, as well as destroying crops and causing massive coastal flooding. Damages totaled near $800 million, and the storm resulted in nearly 150 fatalities on the island. On June 4, Derek exited Cuba and emerged over the Gulf of Mexico as slightly weakened C1 storm. Winds remained at 85 MPH, and the pressure further decreased to 982 mbar. By June 5, Derek had re-intensified to C2 as Severe Hurricane Warnings were issued along the Gulf Coast by the NHC, most noticeably in Alabama. Winds increased to 105 MPH as Derek continued to press NNW. On June 6, the storm weakened to 100 MPH as the storm's landfall inbounded in Houma, Louisiana. Derek caused heavy destruction across Louisiana, including massive power outages, flooding, and severe wind damage. On June 7, Derek became an extratropical C1 equivalent storm with 75 MPH winds, still pushing NE across the United States. The remnants of the storm caused severe damage, including several localized tornado watches in Mississippi and Alabama, as well as widespread blackouts and other devastation. Derek officially dissipated on June 7 in Birmingham, Alabama, having caused over $64 billion in damages and about 1,737 fatalities. Hurricane Elisa A tropical depression formed over the Central Atlantic from a Cape Verde-type tropical wave on July 13. The storm slowly intensified; becoming Tropical Storm Elisa on July 15, when a recon flight reported winds of 50 MPH in the storm's core. Elisa tracked westward, moving at a slow 40 MPH across the Central Atlantic, allowing moisture to build up within the storm. On July 16, Elisa became a C1 hurricane as a small, ragged eye appeared in the center. Wind speeds increased to 80 MPH and pressure dropped to a low 977 mbar. On July 17, the NHC issued Hurricane Watches on the Lower Lesser Antilles as Elisa slowly approached, forecasted to landfall there on July 21 as a strong C3. Elisa strengthened further as the storm's speed suddenly picked, further increasing convection in the core, strengthening the storm to a 105 MPH Category 2. Storm Names The 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season underwent a names list revision in late 2015. Instead of the list that was used in 2010, the NHC retired all names from the aged list and replaced every name with a new replacement. 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